Is 'takeout' one word or two?

As a noun and adjective referring to food, it is standardly written as one word: 'takeout.' The phrasal verb is two words: 'take out.'

Can 'takeout' be used as a verb?

No. 'Takeout' is a noun/adjective. The action is expressed with verbs like 'get,' 'order,' or 'buy,' followed by 'takeout,' or by using the phrasal verb 'take out' (e.g., "Let's take out a curry").

What's the difference between 'takeout' and 'delivery'?

'Takeout' (or 'takeaway') means you go to the restaurant to collect the food. 'Delivery' means the restaurant brings the food to you. Many restaurants offer both services.

Is 'carryout' the same as 'takeout'?

Yes, in meaning. 'Carryout' is a synonym used in some parts of the US, particularly the Midwest and Northeast, but 'takeout' is the more universally understood American term.

takeout

Medium

UK/ˈteɪk.aʊt/US/ˈteɪˌkaʊt/

Informal, Colloquial

My Flashcards

Definition

Meaning

Cooked food purchased from a restaurant for consumption elsewhere.

A commercial service or establishment providing prepared food to be taken away; a meal consumed off-premises; in sports, the removal of a player from play, or the act of causing an opponent to be out; figuratively, a swift, impactful acquisition or elimination.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

Primarily functions as a noun. Also used attributively (as an adjective) to describe the service (e.g., takeout pizza). The related phrasal verb is 'take out.'

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

'Takeout' is the standard term in American English. The British equivalent is 'takeaway.' Both are nouns and adjectives.

Connotations

In AmE, conveys convenience and casual dining. In BrE, 'takeaway' has the same connotation but is the dominant lexical choice.

Frequency

'Takeout' is extremely common in AmE. Its use in BrE is understood but infrequent, being perceived as an Americanism.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

Chinese takeoutorder takeoutget takeouttakeout foodtakeout containertakeout menu

medium

pizza takeoutFriday night takeouthot takeoutlocal takeout

weak

weekly takeoutcheap takeoutlate-night takeoutvegetarian takeout

Grammar

Valency Patterns

order [OBJECT: takeout] from [PLACE]get [OBJECT: takeout] for [EVENT][POSSESSIVE] [MODIFIER] takeout arrived

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

takeaway (BrE)

Neutral

carryout (AmE regional)to-go food (AmE)carry-away (less common)

Weak

fast fooddeliveryprepared meal

Vocabulary

Antonyms

dine-insit-down mealhome-cooked meal

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“(Baseball) A 6-4-3 double play is a classic 'pitcher's best friend' and a key takeout at second base.”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

In a restaurant's financial report: 'Takeout sales increased by 30% this quarter.'

Academic

Rare in formal academic texts. May appear in sociological studies of food culture or consumer behavior.

Everyday

Used frequently in casual conversation: 'I don't feel like cooking, let's get takeout.'

Technical

In baseball commentary: 'The shortstop made a clean takeout slide to break up the double play.'

Examples

By Part of Speech

verb

British English

We decided to take out a pizza.

American English

Let's take out Chinese tonight.

adverb

British English

They sell coffee to take away.

American English

Is this for here or to go? (Note: 'takeout' is not used as an adverb; 'to go' fills this role.)

adjective

British English

He grabbed a takeaway curry.

American English

She brought takeout sushi to the picnic.

Examples

By CEFR Level

I like Chinese takeout.
We eat takeout on Saturdays.

Shall we get takeout for dinner tonight? I don't want to cook.
The takeout menu is on the fridge.

During the lockdown, their business pivoted successfully to takeout and delivery only.
The shortstop's aggressive takeout slide prevented the double play but sparked a bench-clearing argument.

The burgeoning gig economy has fundamentally altered the economics of restaurant takeout, shifting power towards delivery platform aggregators.
His polemic was a blistering takeout of the government's entire economic policy, leaving no argument standing.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Think: You TAKE the food OUT of the restaurant.

Conceptual Metaphor

CONVENIENCE IS A PORTABLE COMMODITY / REMOVAL IS AN EXTRACTION (sports context).

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

Avoid translating as 'вынос' (too literal/physical). The correct Russian equivalent for the food service is 'еда на вынос' or the establishment is 'заведение, где еду берут с собой.' Do not confuse with the phrasal verb 'take out' meaning 'to invite on a date' (позвать на свидание) or 'to eliminate' (устранить).

Common Mistakes

Using 'takeout' as a verb ("We'll takeout Chinese") instead of the correct "get/take out/order takeout." Confusing 'takeout' (AmE) and 'takeaway' (BrE) in the wrong dialectal context.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

After a long day at work, they decided to instead of cooking.

Multiple Choice

In British English, which word is most commonly used instead of 'takeout'?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: As a noun and adjective referring to food, it is standardly written as one word: 'takeout.' The phrasal verb is two words: 'take out.'
: No. 'Takeout' is a noun/adjective. The action is expressed with verbs like 'get,' 'order,' or 'buy,' followed by 'takeout,' or by using the phrasal verb 'take out' (e.g., "Let's take out a curry").
: 'Takeout' (or 'takeaway') means you go to the restaurant to collect the food. 'Delivery' means the restaurant brings the food to you. Many restaurants offer both services.
: Yes, in meaning. 'Carryout' is a synonym used in some parts of the US, particularly the Midwest and Northeast, but 'takeout' is the more universally understood American term.